I have a brief, belated report on my unsuccessful efforts to secure an audience with Ms. Robin Robinson of Sanderson Farms and the Mississippi IHL. I spent 10 days in Laurel in late March,  and during that time attempted on two occasions to speak with Robinson regarding my and my family's concerns over the destruction visited upon USM by the Thames administration.  When I first called, I was advised that she was in Jackson on business "for a few days."  Subsequently I spent a day in Hattiesburg and spoke with several regular contributors to this board,  present and former faculty members, gaining a first hand perspective on the increasingly woeful condition of the university.  It was worse than I'd imagined.  Following my educational trip to the Burg, I called Robinson's office again and was advised that she was back in town but had no openings in her schedule for the remainder of the week.  Her assistant seemed sympathetic and receptive, and I took the opportunity to leave a detailed message enumerating my concerns over the deterioration of USM.  At one point I half facetiously asked if she was taking notes.  She assured me that she was,  and commented that she'd "heard it all before."  

Later,  after discussing my frustrations with our Laurel neighbors, both USM grads,  I decided to drive to Meridian and drop in on Chip Pickering's office.  I don't know Chip but  his father, Judge Pickering,  is a Laurel native and a childhood  friend of  my Uncle,  who assures me the Pickerings are honest, decent people,  "even though they're politicians."  I'd heard that Robinson was politically active and reportedly a Republican, and it occurred to me that Pickering might be a reasonable back door approach to Robinson.  He wasn't there of course,  but I did have an interesting conversation with an aide concerning the Thames matter.  She advised me that the Mississippi IHL was beyond the scope of congressional authority, which I already knew. She  suggested that I write a letter to Congressman Pickering concerning the USM situation, and indicated that my letter would  be forwarded  to Ms. Robinson from Pickering's office, with a cover letter from Pickering echoing my concerns,  and urging her to assign a high priority to the swift resolution of the conflicts at USM.  I returned to Austin, wrote the letter to Pickering,  and I assume it was forwarded to Robinson after sifting its way through the paperwork maze.  I've heard nothing from Robinson,  but didn't really expect a response.  Maybe she received the letter, maybe she even read it.  Who knows?  I'll be in Laurel again some time this summer,  and I do intend to try again, in advance, to schedule an appointment with Ms. Robinson.  She may consider the Thames matter moot since he now has a certain departure date,  but I'd still like to bend her ear a bit, if for no other reason that to let her know that we're watching.  That's all folks. Maybe I'll have greater success next time.

AE